A Day

The sky was alight, dew drops on the grass, the wind cold yet blowing softly, kissing the stones gently as if trying to whisper something to them, birds chirping and playing on trees basking in the sunlight but Ashley was not paying attention to any of these mesmerizing scenes, her eyes were fixed on a maelstrom forming in the river, it reminded her of how she was feeling, empty yet something seemed to be swirling her insides, if only things were different, she thought.

“I am sorry”, panted Sam, “my parents were quarrelling again, I was scared so I jumped out of my window and got hurt, look! “Ashley gave a sigh and looked at the scratch on Sam’s stretched hand, “You are always late, I don’t like waiting here, the forest is quiet, and it makes me feel lonely”.

“Why do you feel that?” asked Sam holding Ashley’s hand in her own, “You know whatever comes, I will never leave you.”

“Zed is not getting any better, he coughs all day, I saw him spitting some blood yesterday, Mama says he is not going to make it”, Ashley looked as if she was desolated from life, continuing gloomily she said, “I won’t be able to come to school again, we are moving back to the village, there is no money left with my parents, we wouldn’t be able to afford food let alone school. Papa said we will go back and I will have to help him work, so I have to give up studies, we are just waiting for Zed to….to die”, she stammered as tears filled her eyes.

“I think my parents will get a divorce, they always fight, say mean things to each other, I wake all night shuddering with fear that something might turn up and they will brawling again. I did not eat at all last night but they didn’t notice, I sometimes feel sad for being born at all.” Said Sam her heart beating against her chest, her body trembling.

The wind hustled, a few leaves fell from the trees in the river: “At least you are rich, you can buy anything you want , you have everything you need, I think you are making a fuss about nothing”, uttered Ashley, something was now heating up her insides, she couldn’t control it.

“Money doesn’t solve anything!” exclaimed Sam, “When there is no love, you can’t buy attention, you can’t buy happiness, at least you know you are cared about, you don’t have to wake up every day thinking your parents might kill each other.” She was out of breath now.

“Well, you don’t have to wait for someone to die so that you can carry on with your life. If I had money like yours, I would never complain,” and then Ashley said something she never thought she would say to her best friend, “I am jealous of you and I think you come here only so you could feel good about yourself and brag your wealth.”

“How can you say that? I come here because you make me feel important and it’s not my fault that you are poor. If I could I would exchange lives with you in an instant.” And Sam stormed away.

The next day, Ashley was ready to apologize as she went happily to Sam’s house only to be informed by the guard that her mother took Sam away to the city. Ashley felt deserted as she realised that Life never lets anything good stay with you without a price and a tear drop rolled down her cheek.